Of course, many of Camping’s followers have no job, or homes for that matter, to return to. Strangely, Camping kept his own home while others sold everything to give him money to spread the word. They did so even though Camping was previously wrong about the end of the world. This falls into a Darwinistic lesson.
One article below contains a telling insight into the type of people who believe this type of collective insanity. Robert Fitzpatrick, a 60-year-old MTA worker from Staten Island, was interviewed soon after the un-Rapture as he stood in disbelief. He simply said “I do not understand. I do not understand why nothing has happened.” However, Keith Bauer was far more interesting. He packed up his entire family and drove from Maryland to California to be at Camping’s Family Radio International in Oakland for the End of Times. His response was “I was hoping for it because I think heaven would be a lot better than this earth.”
That really captures the appeal of the End of Times. If the times aren’t that great, the end looks a lot better. It is really crushing to see children pulled along by parents in such a delusional desire for the end of the world. One does not have to agree with Karl Marx that religion is “the opium of the people,” to see how Judgment Day predictions appeal to those who see nothing but despair and deprivation in life. That hope to be magically transported to a better place can take hold of people even when the Bible says “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew, Chap. 24, Verse 36). That includes Harold Camping.
Well, it was not an entire loss. The family and I had a great time catching salamanders and making S’mores at the cabin in Shrine Mont. While I had to take a couple dips in the lake and pond for missing flip flops and a thrown reel, it was a perfect weekend with the other families. In the end, I was actually sort of happy it was not . . . well . . . the end.
Source: NY Daily
Jonathan Turley